HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 16268, 29 June 1916, Page 8

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

FURTHER ESTIMATES PASSED.

iBT TELEGRAPH. —PRESS ASSOCIATION'.;

Wellington, Thursday Morning. In the House of Representatives, on the vote for the Department of Internal Affairs, in connection with the vote of £1000, salary and allowances to the official war correspondent, the Minister, in answer to Mr. G. Witty, eulogised the work of Mr. Malcolm Ross at the front. He had had gieat difficulties to contend with. His letters were being heavily censored.

Mr. J. T. M. Hornsby (Wairarapa) moved that the vote to the war correspondent be reduced by £100 as an indication that the appointment cease and determine. He said the. country had not derived the slightest benefit. The Minister stated the arrangement with Mr. Ross was that he should receive £450 and travelling expenses for 12 months, or for the period of the war. He regarded Mr. Ross as an earnest worker in the interests of New Zealand. He hoped the House would reject the motion. Mr. Hornsby said if there was an agreement with Mr. Ross he would have to bow to that arrangement. He would simply enter his protest against what he regarded as an absolute waste of public money. The amendment was rejected on the voices.

The votes for the head office, .£47,315, Ministers' sec-etaries £1790, AudifDepartment £9554, Registrar-General's Office £9629, were passed without discussion. On the vote for Census and Statistics, £31,803, the "Minister said it was necessary that a census be taken on October 15 next to enable the representation commissioners to determine the electoral boundaries.

The census vote was passed and the votes for Dominion Museum, £3545, Dominion Laboratory, £5091, were held over, the reports not being in the hands of members.

The vote for the Government printing office, £25,715, was passed, and the Committee passed on to consideration of the vote £150,373, for mental hospitals. The votes for Homes for .Defectives £1262, Tourist Department £48,259 were passed without discussion. On the Public Service Commissioner's Office vote, £51,017, the Minister said he could not say whether the office of commissioner would be continued when the present term of the appointment expired. The commissioners were appointed for seven years. (Left sitting.)